Esports: How to watch F1’s Chinese Virtual Grand Prix

Formula 1’s Esports Virtual Grand Prix series continues today with the Chinese Grand Prix. Here’s all the information you need to follow the event. 

The F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series will run as replacements to the postponed rounds of the 2020 season, with all teams and drivers invited to take part. 

The third race takes place tonight at 18:00 BST local time and is being live-streamed online. 

The event will feature a qualifying session followed by a half-distance 28-lap race on Codemasters F1 2019 game around the Shanghai International Circuit, the home of the Chinese Grand Prix, which was due to host the fourth round of the 2020 season this weekend. 

When is the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix taking place? 

All drivers will compete remotely with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena starting at 18:00 BST. The broadcast will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as F1.com. It is also being broadcast on Sky Sports F1 in the United Kingdom. 

Which drivers are taking part? 

F1 has pulled together a list of names from a variety of backgrounds with the celebrity racers including Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who will make his F1 Esports debut for Red Bull, and Lazio striker Ciro Immobile, who will race for AlphaTauri. 

In total, seven F1 2020 drivers have confirmed they will take part in the race, with McLaren running its complete driver line-up after Carlos Sainz confirmed he will make his debut in the series. Charles Leclerc also returns for Ferrari after winning at the first attempt last time out during the Vietnam Virtual Grand Prix. 

Drivers confirmed for the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix: 

Mercedes: Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Callum Ilott
Red Bull: Alex Albon, Thibaut Courtois
McLaren: Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris
Renault: Guanyu Zhou, Ian Poulter
AlphaTauri: Liam Lawson, Ciro Immobile
Racing Point: Anthony Davidson, Jimmy Broadbent
Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi, Juan Manuel Correa
Haas: Pietro Fittipaldi, Louis Deletraz
Williams: George Russell, Nicholas Latifi